November 19, 2025 3:20 a.m. 

On Monday, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians delivered $130,000 to eight local school districts in Douglas County to assist with providing free meals to students in need during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday breaks.

A tribal release said many children and teens in the county rely on school meal programs for nutritious meals during the week and this critical funding will help ensure they continue to have access to healthy food over the extended vacations.

Cow Creek Tribal Board of Directors Chair Carla Keene said, “No child should worry about where their next meal is coming from, especially over the holidays when their days should be carefree, fun and enjoying time with their families”. Keene said, “It’s essential that we ensure children always have enough to eat so they can focus their energy on learning, exploring their creativity, being responsible in their communities and moving closer to success”.

These school districts received funding:

*Glide School District: $35,000

*Winston-Dillard School District: $24,000

*Oakland School District: $21,000

*Yoncalla School District: $17,600

*Glendale School District: $15,750

*Roseburg School District: $6,700

*North Douglas School District: $5,000

*South Umpqua School District: $5,000

The release said each district will plan to use their requested funds in individual ways that meet the needs of their students, including family food baskets, meal delivery programs and grocery certificates for staples.

Chairman Keene said, “This isn’t just about feeding students over the breaks. It’s about making them nutritious and school-ready when they return”.